East Renfrewshire Council has confirmed that breakfast cart provision will continue at Neilston Learning Campus next session following an outcry by parents.

It is understood that the service was introduced in ten schools in East Renfrewshire using one-off funding as part of money to combat the impact of Covid.

Families, however, recently heard that the provision would end in Neilston from August - news which prompted a petition to be launched calling for it to continue.

The petition described the breakfast cart as a convenience for some, but a lifeline for others and criticised its loss during a “cost-of-living-crisis” when more people than ever require support.

Arguing the case for it to continue, it stated that: “With 24% of children in Scotland living in poverty (source: Scottish Government), this cart is crucial to ensuring that all students have an equal opportunity to start their day with some food."

Those behind the petition also highlighted the benefits of breakfast including "increased levels of concentration" and "increased energy levels."

“Removing this funding would prevent many children from attending school with food in their belly, impacting their ability to learn and thrive," the petition added.

A total of 320 people answered the call to sign it, thus urging “the education department to continue supporting our children's health and education by maintaining the breakfast cart funding.”

According to council documents available online, since their introduction through Covid recovery funding, the carts have been set up at 8.30am at school doors for young people to access as they enter school buildings.

They offer pupils the chance to choose from a variety of fruit, toast and a selection cereals for free. 

It is understood that the breakfast cart was never in all primary schools in East Renfrewshire, but that other schools (out with the 10 funded as mentioned above) already fund similar breakfast cart/club services with their own devolved budgets and did so prior to the pilots operated using Covid funding.

It appears that this approach will now be taken in Neilston to keep the service running.

A spokesperson for ERC said: “The additional breakfast cart provision has been possible since 2021 due to specific funding provided related to Covid.

"The money available through this funding stream has now finished.

“This has led to schools having to consider how best to keep providing the breakfast cart provision, if it is a service they wish to continue.

“Due to flexibility provided by devolved school management budgets, which allows schools to prioritise areas which are most at need within their individual schools, this service will continue at Neilston in the next session.”

Following the news that the school will be funding the service out of its budget, community shop Blether which is based in Neilston's Main Street said in a social media post that they have contacted the school to see if they can help with bread and rolls.

A parent, who asked not to be named, meanwhile added: "It's a fantastic outcome for the children and I'm aware that Blether have approached the school to offer support and it just demonstrates how well the village comes together to support children and families.

"The cost-of-living crisis is really difficult and it's affecting everybody in one way or another and I would hope that there would always be funding whether it comes from local or centralised government to make sure there is support there for our most vulnerable children in the community."